With the 2014 FIFA World Cup slated to kick off on Thursday, — the opening game to be contested between Brazil and Croatia — expectations are high, and football fans are burning with excitement and intense support for their favourite teams.

Over the past few weeks, we have brought you information about the groups of the hallmark competition of “the beautiful game” and their respective teams, so that you can be fully informed going into the tournament, and also so that you can size up the competition.

Here are some of your responses to the question: Which team are you supporting for this year’s FIFA World Cup and why?

Humphrey Dempster: Portugal of course! Cristiano Ronaldo is in good form. Not only is he the top scorer in both La Liga and the Champions League, but he has also matured into a great captain. He demonstrates that he can carry his team to victory, as he did against Sweden in the qualifiers. With him leading the way, and the rest of the talented and skilled players on the team, Portugal will endure all the way to the Cup.

Harold Henriques: I say Germany for World Cup. The Germans show great strength, determination, agility and skill when playing the world’s greatest sport. Let’s not forget that they are the best team in the world despite only winning three times. They are the only team to finish in the top three every year since the new millennium, and only once have they not made it to the finals.

Ashley Peart-Brown: I am supporting Brazil for this year’s World Cup because they have a team of skilled players. I am also supporting Ghana because it is home to some of our ancestors as Jamaicans, so I think it is fair enough to support a country to which I have some heritage relations. Not only that, but they are a great team who went to the last World Cup quarter finals and almost made it to the semi finals. They are also four-time African Cup champions.

Sasha-Kay Cowan: I am supporting Spain. They have a past of being one of the dominant teams in the World Cup. They are the defending champions, and they reached the quarter-finals four times. They have a strong team consisting of star players like Csec Fabregas, Fernando Torres, Valdez, Casorla and Juan Mata. They stand a pretty good chance of winning and, to me, they never disappoint.

Kristina Miller: I’m supporting Spain. Spain has always been my team, and I know that they will go all the way with the guidance of Andres Iniesta (#6). I am also in support of them because they have the best, most well-rounded squad on paper heading into the World Cup.LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK:teenAGE@jamaicaobserver.com.

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